Fifty Tails of Paradise
by Dragonfire Alchemist
Summary: Drabble series to honor Wolf's Rain in all of its glory, from the quest to Paradise to character interactions in general. Ideas and prompts welcome! Rated for possibly darker chapters later on.
1. All Cats Go to Heaven

**Hello everyone, Dfire here with my very first production for the incredible series Wolf's Rain! This series is all about celebrating the amazing show, from the search to Paradise to the interactions between characters… Basically all aspects of the series. Ideas are not just welcomed, but also encouraged. Feel free to leave a prompt or thing you would like to see :)**

**Spoilers: None; set early on in series**

Toboe couldn't help but wonder… Could cats make it to Paradise, too?

He sat in the grimy back alley of a small, ramshackle city, gently stroking one of the little feline balls of fur. The cat had mewed and hissed at the scent of wolf, but had eventually relented to the temptation of a nice scratch behind the ears and being spoiled.

Their small, ragtag group had decided to rest for a while in the city, all of them splitting up to do their individual… well, whatever the others did. Toboe honestly didn't know… What did Kiba and Tsume really do in the city? They seemed far too serious to go and have fun. Hunt, perhaps? Ask around for news of Paradise? He sighs. Of course Paradise was important, but it was important to relax sometimes.

The cat meows in protest as the warm hand ceases to caress its shorthaired, mottled gray coat. Toboe blinks, murmuring a soft apology before hearing a summoning howl. They are done with this city; it is time to move on. He sighs, giving the fluffy head a quick pat before setting down a generous amount of meat for the cat as he stands, ready to run for the call and continue on the quest. He looks back at the cat, busily munching on a strip of dried meat. It meets his gaze for a grateful instant before hungrily returning to its first meal in a long time. Toboe nods in thanks before rushing off to find the others.

He sure hoped that they went to Paradise. Maybe he would have to ask Kiba if cats could live with the humans and wolves in that one, special place.

**How is it? Please R&R, and definitely feel free to give me ideas for upcoming chapters. Your help is very much appreciated!**

**Until next time,**

_**~Dfire**_


	2. Breaking Point

**Back with chapter two of this story! Woo!**

**Spoilers: Episode 27 (Where the Soul Goes) AKA towards the very end of the series **

The world was collapsing around them. Humans were settling back in preparation for their fate. The nobles were plotting something for the upcoming end. And the wolves searching all over the world for the place known as Paradise.

Even though this world was insane, ancient and falling apart as it was, they had each other, and the world couldn't do a single thing about it.

Hubb smiles as he thinks this, holding hands with his beautiful Cher. She rested with her head against his chest, her hair tickling his chin. They were sitting on the couch from their old home, birds chirping softly outside. Finally, she tilts her head, looking into his eyes…

The house is gone. There is nothing but the creak and groan of twisted metal, followed hours later by a crash. Snapping of electric wires and the scream of metal hitting hard, cold ground fills the air. The sound is overwhelming, overpowering, and he is holding her in his arms once again. But her body is limp, cold. Her face no longer bears the stress, no longer bears anything but the purest of content smiles.

He screams and cries to the wind.

Hubb jolts awake, looking around in fear. Of course it wasn't real… Cher was still with them…

For a brief second, he can almost hear her voice, feel her touch, and look into those piercing yet gentle blue eyes…

But it is an illusion. His wife is dead now. The world is still collapsing around him, yet it seems so much colder. Lowering his head, he shamelessly reaches for the bottle of alcohol. It's still dark out, and the night is young, begging for the relief that the strong liquor will bring.

**After watching Cher die… Emotional trauma. That is all I'm going to say. **

**I'm afraid it probably isn't very good, and it might be confusing, but grief is something that words really can't describe or even touch on. I did my best XD **

***holds up a cardboard sign* "Will tap dance for reviews"**

**Anyways, I got my first prompt, which I shall work on and probably have done by Saturday. Thanks Shizuku!**

**Until next time,**

**_~Dfire_**


	3. Promise of Reunion

**Happy late Thanksgiving! Don't forget to R&R!**

**Spoilers: Episode 30 (Wolf's Rain)/final episode**

He rests against a frozen hill, blood seeping down his side and his torn legs.

He doesn't want this to be real… He has to continue fighting…

He can't be a coward like the last time, when he tried to flee, abandoning his friends and family. He can't abandon his… His pack leader… Kiba…

"Tsume! Are you all right?!"

His vision was starting to haze… But he had to stay awake, for just a little longer.

"I'm a little tired, that's all…" The words are like a shock, pulling his head from the enveloping murkiness like a wakeup call. "Go after him!" Tsume snarls before turning his head away.

"He's dead… Hige asked me to put him down…"

He winces and closes his eyes, leaning back as he clutches his side. The warmth is pulling him back down. "I don't feel like moving around anymore…" But he has to finish. He has to tell his leader… He has to tell it all to those searching, crystal blue eyes.

"I knew it all along… Somewhere deep down… I knew. That's why I lived the way I did." The words were starting to come more easily, despite the fog shrouding his mind.

"When I met you…" His eyes open slightly, but they are losing sight. "It was so obvious… That I would never be the one… to open Paradise…"

A surge of pain pushes scarlet flashes into his murky vision. "Just go…"

"Hang in there!" Kiba's pleading voice is a contrast to the whiteness around them, the night of desolation. It's clear and strong, rich and filled with hope. Tsume winces.

"He has to be stopped…!"

At this, Kiba extends his hand to Tsume. "Grab on."

Tsume slaps away the offer of help, snarling both from pain and hurt deep inside. He doesn't want to be seen as weak when he passes on. He wants to be just as strong as Kiba… No, he has to be stronger. Everything depended on it. "Just get the hell out of here!" he snaps.

Kiba stops, in shock. But after what feels like forever's hesitation, he turns. He runs away, back to fight off Darcia.

The darkness is pulling him faster. He's so tired… And so grateful. He watches Kiba run, finally feeling a contentedness blooming. He did his best. Kiba was going to find Paradise. He was going to fulfill their hopes. For Toboe. For Hige. For Blue, the old man. For everyone. He silently cheered inside, before turning to face the overwhelming warmth and darkness without fear. And it was then that he finally saw the truth… The same truth Hige had seen…

"Let's meet again…" he whispers. "Next time… In Paradise…"

He loses control of his muscles, finally seeing nothing but the upcoming darkness. He welcomes it with a howl, letting it seep in, carry him far, far away.

_Win, Kiba. We'll all be waiting for you._

**Geez. I'm just completely out to destroy everyone's feelings, huh? Including my own. I'm seriously in pain right now XD **

**Remember to throw in a little review, possibly an idea or prompt! See you all next time! **

**_~Dfire_**


	4. Reset

**Back again with chapter 4! This one was actually inspired by an idea that I had seen about Wolf's Rain… Don't know if it's true or not, but sounds like a great writing opportunity! **

**Spoilers: Episode 30/last episode (sort of… although it was shown in the first episode, but can't be understood as well unless you watched at least 3/4 of the series)**

His white fur wavered and danced a slow sweep as he sank into the watery depths, the lunar flowers spiraling up to the surface. It was then he remembered.

He remembered this.

Kiba did not recognize this particular moment, no déjà vu. No… This was not his first attempt.

The flowers circle as he sinks deeper and deeper…

The world had reset, many times.

Suddenly, he is no longer battered and bloody. He is lying among the fields of lustrous, creamy flowers, surrounded by the scent of pure, sweet moonlight, even though the sun is shining bright. He has never seen so much green before…

Not even before… before. His heart began to swell with hope. Finally, he was successful… His quest was over.

The skies began to brighten, the world changing. The flowers swayed in the new winds, and the white caps of snowy peaks were reflected by the crystal waters.

A sudden darkness tinges and corrupts the air around him.

_No… _

The Paradise spread before his eyes begins to fade to white, just like before.

No. Not like before. He hadn't seen Paradise up until now.

_I knew it… With every time the world resets, we get closer… So we will make it one day._

_One day, we will be granted our Paradise._

And the world fades to white once more, for the journey to begin all over again.

**I thought that it was an interesting idea that this person came up with, that the world resets every time they fail, but they get closer and closer to Paradise every time. So the end of the anime that we saw was just one of those failed attempts. Mind=blown XD**

**You know, I was actually pretty okay with Darcia before *ahem* T-Toboe incident... And then being evil in last episode... And then ruining Paradise even AFTER HE FREAKING DIED... Darcia the troll.**

**So anyways, thank you for reading and reviewing! Still need some prompt ideas here ;)**

**_~Dfire_**


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